Machine for making incandescent lamps.



No. 877,013. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.. A. SWAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING IN'GANDES GENT LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I906. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Xvi $165363 IHWSHJCOP 2. W4 111* Alfred Swcm 'No. 877,013. v 'PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

A. SWAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING INGANDESGENT LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHBBT 2.

Wirissses s; l-nventorr Alfred Swan No. 877,013. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908-. A. SWAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKINGINGANDESCEBIT LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Hitnesses Alfred Swcu 7 No. 877,013. PATENTBD-JAN. 21, 1908.

- A. SWAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING INCANDESCENT LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1906.

a SHEETS SHEI-JT 4.

lnvmflfor Alfred Swan by WiCnesses No. 877,013. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908. A. SWAN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING INGANDESUENT LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

I y .fi

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ALFRED SWAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y, ASSIGNOR'TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. I

mom son MAKING mcannnscnm names.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21 1908.

Application on May 26. 1906. Serial no. 818.686.

' New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Incandescent Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

- Thisinvention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of incandescent lamps and more particularl to machines for performing the operations of blowing-off and sealing-in.

The bulbs for incandescent lamps, as delivered by the glass-blowers, have necks consistmg of long glass tubes. The bulbs are punctured at the ends opposite the necks and short glass tubes called tubulatures, throu h which the air may be exhausted from t e bulbs, are joined to the bulbs communicating with these openings. The long necks of the bulbs are then severed in the operation known as blowing-oh, leaving very shortnecks having thin walls to which the stems carrymg the filaments are afterward joined in the operation of sealing-in. My invention relates to a machine for performing these operations of blowing-off and'sealing-in and involves combining blowing-off and sealing-in devices in such a manner that they operate inter-inde-' pendently and at regularly recurringintervals of time and the parts of a sealing-in de-' vice are always in position to receivela bulb and stem for sealing as soon as the bulb has been blown off. As the blowing-off devices requlre less time than those for the sealingin operation, I combine with one'blowin -0fi device two sealing-in devices arrange to work alternately and as all three of the devices are. driven continuously from a source of power, the operator must supply the lamp parts to the machine at the pro er intervals, determined'by the speed at which the machine is driven. Thisspeed is such that the operator is kept busy continuously and in order thatthe production of completed. bulbs may be as large as possible, I provide means for performing automatically many of the steps which with the machines heretofore used required-the time and attention of the operator.

.Ifhave illustrated the preferred eml.)o di ment of-my invention-in the accompanymg drawings in which I Figure 1 -is atop View of .the machine; 1* 1g. 2 1s a similar view with various parts re- ,11 and mes in member.

theannular chamber 21 and the blowers therefor with they annular chamber 20 and in devices; Fig. 6 is a etail of the upper end of the stem-supporting rod; Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the blowing-off device;

Figs. 8 and 9. are views showing two positions of the main valve; Figs. 10 and 11 are an elevation and a section of the breaker; Fig. 12 is. a sectional elevation of the valve controlling the breaker; and Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of the valves and the parts controlled thereby.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a blowing-off device and B and C two sealingin devices disposed on opposite sides of the blowing-0E device as shown in the drawin s, so as to be within'convenientreach of t e operator who sits directly in front of the blowing-0E device. Each of the sealing-in devices is su ported upona frame 1 in the sides of whic are bearings for a shaft 2 the shafts 2 carry on their adjacent ends bevel gears 3 meshing with similar gears 4 on the ends of a shaft 5 rotatable. in bearings 6 carried by arms secured to the adjacent sides of the frames 1. On the end of one of the shafts 2 is a pulley 7 by means of which and a belt running thereon, rotary motion is communicated to shaft 2 and 5 from an suitable source of. power. The blowing-o device (Fi 7) is carried by a standard 8 on which a sfeeve 9 isrotatable. This sleeve carries a lar e sprocket 10 and a Worm-wheel with the worm-wheel is a worm 12 carrie by a shaft 13, mounted for rotation in bearings carried by standard 8.

Secured on shaft 13 is a ear '14 meshing with a inion 15 carried by shaft 5. An endless c ain 16 runs on the sprocket 10 and on another sprocket at any suitable point. Secured to this chain are a plurality of re' ceptacles 17 for carrying lamp bulbs to the machine from any suitable position. Se-

cured on the upper end of standard 8 is a frame 18 carrying at its upper end an annular member 19 having two annularchambers 20 and 21- therein, and mounted on top of the member 19 are a plurality of blow-pipe burners 22 radially disposed about the axis of the These urners communicate with out e member 19 is anarm 25 having a vertical portion at its end, on which a member 26 is vertically adjustable and arranged to be locked in any adjustable position by a handnut 27 Formed on this member 26 is a bearing for a rotary bulb-support 28 having an annular 'emng therethrough, the walls of which may e lined with felt. Rotary motion is communicated to this support by a belt 29 running in a groove therein and also cylinder 32 in which a piston 33 (Figs. 10 anduponsheaves 30 and a pulley 31 carried by shaft 5. Also mounted on member 19 is a lined with felt or rubber and which is ada ted to-fit over the tubulature of a bulb hel in the support 28 to establish an air connection from a exible tube 39 connected to the-upper end of i ,e 37, and through pipe 37 .to the bulb. ithin the cylinder 36 a piston 40 (Fig. 13) is secured upon the tube 37 and .pipes 41 and 42 communicate with the upper and. lower ends respectivelyof c linder 36.

On the shaft'13-is a inion 43 mes ing with a i gear 44 formed on t e peripheryof the.mov-.-

able member 45 of a valve having a station- "ary member 46. This valve is arranged to control the admission ofair to the upper and 1 lower ends of c linder 36 to 0V erate thepiston therein an also to contr'o the supply of gas and air to the burners 22. Its operation will be described in detail hereinafter.

' The sealing-in devices will now be de 1 scribed with reference particularly to Figs. 3, I 4, 5 and 6.:

Splined on the shaft 2 between the sides of I frame 1, is aIclutch-member 47 having a peripheral groove therein and on one face a in which, .whenthe clutch-member is moved axiall of shaft 2, is, arranged to enter one of a p urality of openings in a gear 48 loose on shaft 2 and meshing with a. gear 49 carried by a suitable stub shaft. Formed integral with gear 49 is a bevel car 50 meshin with ,rotatable in bearings carried .b

a bevel gear 51'on aho ow shaft 52 W ich is Splined on the upper end of ho ow shaft 52 is a cross-head 53 and extending upwardfrom the outer ends of the cross-head are rods- 54 carrying a support 55. for a lamp bulb.

Cross-head 53 and the partscarried therebyare adjustable axiallyon shaft 52 by means of the'rack andpinion 56. Movable axially in thehollow shaft 52 is a shaft 57 provided "with a pin entering a longitudinal groove in interior of the hollow shaft 52 sothat the frame.

shafts 52 and 57 must rotate together. The

upper portion of shaft 57 is reduced in crosssection s that a stem carrying a'lamp filament ma be supported upon its end. upper end of the rod is slotted (Fig. 6) and a bar 57 mounted on the end of shaft 52 ex-- tends through this slot so that when rod 57 is lowered bar 57 coacts with the inclined walls of the slot to spread the two portions of the rod and cause them to hold the stem firmly. Secured on shaft 5 7 near its lower.

end is a member 58 having a peripheral The groove therein into which extends a pivoted arm 59, normally held in a raised position by a spring 60. On this arm is a roller adapted to. cooperatewith a raised portion 61, on a cam 62, carried by a shaft 63.- Thisshaft also carries a wormwheel 64 meshing with a worm 65 on' shaft 2, and in the side of worm wheel 64 a cam groove 65 is formed, into which extends a projection on a lever 66 mounted to slide back and forth in a groove formed in an arm 67 secured to the side of frame 1. Lever 66-is rovided with a vertical portion 68, extendmginto the peripheral groove in the'clutch-member 47-. Mounted on the frame 1 is a valve consisting of a stationary member 69 and a member 70 adapted ,to be reciprocated around the axis of the stationary member- 69 and to effect this movement the member 70 is connected by a link 71 with the lever66. This valve is arranged to control the supply of gas and air to a' plurality of blow-pipe burners 72, supported on the top of frame -1 and disposed radially about the axis of shaft 52. If desired theseburners may be arranged for vertical adjustment. 1 The gas and air are carried to the Y valve bypipes 77 and .78 and from it to the burners by pipes 73 and 74 respectively, The operation of the two valves 69 70 for supplying the as and air to the burners 72 of each sealing-m device will be best understood by reference to 13 of the drawings at the sides of which t e two valves are shown diagrammatically. In this figure the pipes caring gasare indicated by broken l1I16S and t e pipes carrylng air- 'under pressure by solid lines. In the stationary member 69 of each valve are four .ports 75, 76, 79 and 80.

The pi es 73and 74 connect ports 75 and 76 with t e burner and blower respectively of the'blow-pipe'burners 72. The pipes 77 and 78connect the ports 79 and 80' with the'gas and airmains'G and L respectively. In. the,

movable member 70 of each valve *areytwo passageways 81'and 82 which in one-"position;

of the movable'valve-member are arranged to connect ports 7 5'and79 andports 76 'and 80 respectively, as. shown at the left of Fig.

13, and in the" other position, tov elo'sethese connections, 'as shown at theright o'f Fig". 13a The two sealing-in devices on opposite sides 7 of the blowing-off device are similar m1 all,

respects except that the. cams 65. and 62' employ for raising and lowering iston 40 and cap 38 air at a higher pressure t an that admltted to the bulb through pipe 37 and cap 38. The main H carrying this high pressure air and the pipes'connected thereto are indicated in the drawings by heavy lines. .In the stationary member 46 of the main valve are two ports 83 and 84 to which the'high pressure air main H is connected by suitable pipes and two ports 85 and 86 connected by the pi es 41 and 42 respectively with the ends 0 cylinder 36. In. the movable member 45 of the valve are two passageways 87' and 88 the former adapted to connect ports 83 and 85 to admit air to the top of cyllnder 36 through pipe 4lrand the latter to connect ports 84 and 86-to admit air' to "the bottom of cylinder 36 through pipe 42. In order to permit the eXhaustof the air from "above-the piston when air is admitted to the lower side, a passageway 89 is provided in the movable valve-member which is opento the atmosphere and a ort 89 co6perating therewith is conneote to port 85. In order to permit the exhaust of the air from the lower side of the piston when air is admitted to the upper side, a passageway 90 is rovided in the movable valve-member whic is open to the atmosphere and a port 90 in the stationary valve-member cooperating therewith is connected to port 86." 'For controlling the supply of air and gas to the blowpipe burns ers 22 of the blowing-off machine, the stationary valve-member 46 is-provided with four ports 91, 92, 93 and 94, port 91 being connected to the gas main G, port 92 to the low pr'essure air main L, and ports 93 and 94 'to the chambers 21 and 20 by pipes 23 and 24 respectively. In the movab e valve-member 45 are two passageways 95 and 96, the former adapted to connect ports 91 and '93 and the latter toconnect ports '92 and 94. The movable valvemember 45 also controls the operation of the breaker and for this purpose 1s provided with a projection 97 adapted to actuate the plunger98 of avalve. This plunger is normally held in theraised position in its cylindrical casing 99.(Fig. 12) by a coiled spring 100'and when depressed byv projection 97, a peripheral groove in the plunger connects-two pipes 101 and 102 en tering the cylinder,99 at diametrically opposite points. Pipe 101 is connected to the high pressure air pipe Hand pipe 102 extends up and enters the cylinder 32 in which the plston 33 for o eratlng the breaker lever 35 he construction of the piston v reciprooates.

wall 104 and then acting upon the wall 105 to lower the piston again.

The operation of the machine will now be described. i One complete operation of the blowing-offdevice takes place for each revolution of the movable valve-member 45. One complete 0 eration of each sealing-in device takes p ace for each revolution of the shaft 63 carrying cams 62 and 65. The gearing is so arranged that each of the two sealing-in devices operates at one-half the speed of the blowing-off device and as they operate in alternation one or the other is in position to receive a bulb as soon as it is blown-off. When the machine is running, the ower being applied to the pulley 7, the bul s are brought to the operator by the endless carrier 16- and the operator places the bulbs in the rotary holder 28 and after being'blownoff laces them in one or the other of the 1101 ers 55, at the same time mounting a stern on the end of shaft 57, and after scalingin removes them. The starting position is illustrated in 'Fi .13. Piston 40 is held up by air from pi e through port 84, passage 88, port 86 an pipe 42. The 0 erator takes a bulb from a receptacle 17 an places it in the rotatin holder 28, its long neck extending down t ough the holder and being unment of member 26. The bulb in the holder 28 is rotated continuouslyby belt 29 so that the bulb neck is uniformly heated along the line of cutting. This relation of the parts continues durm almost a half revolution of the movable va ve member and during this time the walls of thebulb-neck are softened and fall inward and the portion of the neck below the line of cutting dro s off by its own weight leavin on the bul a short neck which is close at its end. The passages 95 and 96 then pass beyond ports 91 and 92 so that the supply to chambers 20 and 21 is out off and immediately thereafter passage 87 connects ports 83 and 85, the endof passage 89 moves away from port 89 and passage 90 comes over port 90, the parts being then in the position illustrated in Fig. 9. I I admits'air- 'to' the ,upper side ofplston 40 from main H through port 83, passage 87,

port 85 and pipe 41 and piston 40 is forced down, the air from the under side of the piston bein exhausted through pipe 42. to port 86 and 1; en through the connection to port 90 and passage 90 to the atmosphere. Piston 40, pipe 37 and cap-38 are thus moved down until the cap fits over the bulb as shown in Fig. 7 and air is admitted to the bulb from main L through pipes 39 and 37 and cap 38.

As the pressure within the bulb is raised the soft glass which closes the end of the bulbneck is expanded, the walls thereof becoming thinner and thinner, until finally it 90 closmg the .exhaust from the under side.

breaker piston 33 to breaks leaving at the end of the neck a rough edge ofvery thin and fragile glass. As the rotation of the movable valve-member continues, the projection 97 thereon engages the lunger 98 of the valve'controlling the brea er and operates it againstthe tension of its s ring 100, to admit air from main H ceases, the air thereto being cut off by theplunger 98. At about the same time, the end 'of' assage 90 moves away from port of piston 40, passage 88 connects and 86 and passage 89 comes over Air is thus'admitted from main H through port 84, passage 88, ort 86 and pipe 42 to the under side 0 piston -40 and exports 84 hausted from the 11 per side through pipe 41,

' put in its'place.

v as

' right of Fig.; 13. The operator mounts a to; port 85, throug the co ction of port 89 and passage 89 to the a mosphere and piston 40 and cap '38 are raised. The bulb.

thus blown'ofi is removed from support 28 and another one taken from carrier 16 and "At this time when'the o'perator has removed a blown-offbulb from sup-' port 28 one ortheother of the sealing-off devices is in the position in which cam 62' releasesrod'57, and cam holds clutch'member 47 in the inoperative position, and valvemember'70 in the position in which the blow-.

pipe flames arecut down as shown at the stem carryinga filament'on the upper end of shaft 57 and then'moves the blown-off bulb down over the stem until it'rest's in the holder '55. While another bulb is being blown off cam 65" moves lever-6 6. on its guide 67 to clutch gear 48 to shaft 2 andac'tuates .lSfalYe-member 70. -Tli eIvalve-member being actuated, gas and air are sugplied to burners 72, as shown. at the leftof 1g. '13, and the "ator removes-the port 89.

after blowinglamps, the combination withga; .dev ce, of a plurality of sealing-1n devices,

flames therefrom converge upon the bulb neck, and at the same time, the gear. 48 bein clutched in, causes rotation of shafts 52 an 57 and the stem and bulb carried thereby. The edge of the bulb neck is evenly heated and thewalls fall in upon the flare at'the lower end of the stem and become joined thereto; When this has been effected the cam 65 again operates lever 66 to actuate .valve member'70 and clutch member 47, thus bringing the sealed-in and cutting down the flames. Immediately thereafter, the raised portion 61 of cam 62 on shaft 63 engages the pivoted lever 59 and actuates it to move shaft 57 axiallydownward. In doing so bar 57 spreads the two portions of the end of rod 59 so that theyclutch the stem firmly thus stretching the glass at the point where the two parts join, making a more perfect weld. Immediately after this, raised portion 61 passes out of engagement with pivoted lever 59 thus raising shaft 57 and allowing the two portions of the end of rod 57 to resume their normal condition thus releasing a receptacle on the carrier 16. When the operation of sealing-in this bulb was only.

half completed, another cycle of o erations of the blowin -oif device was complieted and the bulb whic was blown off was transferred to the other sealingwoff device,- the parts of which were then in position to receive a bulb and stem and the 'op' ration of sealing-in proceeded with asabov described. The opera tion continuesin this manner, everything being done automatically except the positioning of the parts on the machine andtheir removal therefrom when completed. As the operation of seali -in' requires approxi mately twice as muc time as the operation of blowing-off the-combining of two sealingbulb to restthe stem; and the operulb placing it in a box or in deviceswith one blowing-01f device so that 'one person can operate the 'com lete ma chine effects a considerable saving in the cost of the lam s as the work can be done much more rapi ly and no intermediate handling of the bulbs is required. The rapidity with which the work can be done is further increased by' the employment of power driven valves which automatically controlthe heaters for softening the glass and the regulation of the pressure within the bulb and the. de-

vice for breakin 0's the rough edge of,glass What'I" laim 'as' newand desire to gsecure by Letters Patent of the United States, i's,-

I 1., Ina machine for making incandescent.

lamps,

he combination with a blowing-off device, of'a plurality of' sealing'1n devices, and connections operate in predetermined sequence}; 2. In-a machine for.

blowi -01 making candescent causing said: devices to action at the conclusion of each operation sealing-in machines in cooperative relation to the blowing-oil machine, and mechanism for operating the sealing-in machines at a fractional speed of the output of the blowing-off machine whereby the blowing-off machine and sealing-in machines are maintained in continuous service at maximum efficiency.

4.--In a machine for making incandescent lamps, the combination with a blowing-off devlce, of a plurality of sealing-in devices, and connections for causing said devices to operate in predetermined sequence, the several devices being so juxtaposed as to be all within reach of a single o erator.

5. In a machine for ma ldng incandescent lamps, a sealing-in device having a bulb support, a rod formed at its end to su port a stem, heaters for softening the bu b-neck,

and means automaticall operated for moving said rod axially re ative to said bulbsupport to expand said stem and assist in effecting the seal.

6. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a support for a 1am -stem adapted to extend within the open an of the stem, and means for expanding the walls of the sup ort to cause them to grip the stem and ho d it 7. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a rod on the end of which a lampstem is ada ted to be mounted, means for automatical y reciprocating the rod axially, and means actuated by the movement of the rod for ex anding its walls at the end thereof to cause t em to grip the stem.

8. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a sealing-in machine having a bulbsupport, a rod adapted to su ort a stem upon its end Within a bulb hel in said bulbsupport, a heater, means for rotating the heater relatively to the bulb-su port and rod, means automatically 0 erate for moving the-rod relatively to t e bulb support, and means actuated by the movement of the rod for expanding its walls at the end thereof to cause them to grip the stem.

9. In a machine 'for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a support for maintaining a bulb in a vertical position, a heater for distributing the flame along the line of cutting below the support, controlling devices for the heater, means for applying pressure to the bulb, and connections between said means and said controlling devices whereby pressure is apglied to the bulb after the severed art has a len ofi. 10. In a machine for ma "ng incandescent lamps, a blowing-01f device having a bulb .lation to each other.

support, a heater, driving means forrotating said support to a source of sup ly of compreSSed air, and means control ed by said driving means for moving said coupling intocooperative relation to a bulb in saidsupport.

11. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a bulb support, a coupling connected to a source of supply of compressed air, pneumatically operated mechanism for moving said coupling over the tubulature, of a bulb in said sup 0rt to carry compressed air to the bulb anr for withdrawing it therefrom, controlling devices for said mechanism, a heater, driving means for rotating the bulb support and heater relatively to each other, and connections between said driving means and said controlling devices.

12. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a bulbsupport, a heater, means for rotating the support and heater relatively, a coupling for a bulb, a pipe connected thereto, a piston on said pipe, a cylinder in which said piston is adapted to reciprocate, a valve arranged to control the admission of air to the ends of said cylinder, and means for operating the valve.

' 13. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a support for maintaining a bulb in a vertical position, a heater for distributing a flame along the line of cutting below the support, controlling devices for said heater, driving means for rotating the support and heater relatively to each other and for actuating said controlling devices, and means controlled by said driving means for applying pressure to the bulb after the severed part has fallen off.

14. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a support for maintaining a bulb in a vertical position, a heater for distributing a flame along the line of cutting below the support, means for controlling the pressure within a bulb in said support, controlling devices for said heater, and actuating mechanism for operating said means and said devices in predetermined rep 15. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a support for maintaining a bulb in a vertical position, blow-pipe burn rs for distributing a flame along the line 0 cutting below the support, a valvehavin a movable member, connections from the va ve to said burners and to sources of supply of gas and compressed air, a powershaft, and gearing connected thereto for rotating the bulb support and burners rela--- tively and for actuating the movable valvemember. 7 i

16. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device'having abulbsu ort, a heater for softening the neck of a bdl held in. said support along the line of cutting, means for regulating the pressure within the bulb, and means for. breaking away the glass at the edge of the bulb-nec .after blowing-off.

' 17. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-oil device having a support for maintaining a bulb in a vertical osltion, a heater for dlstributing a flame a ong the line of cutting below the support, means for regulating the )ressure within a bulb in said support, and a breaking device automatically operated for breaking away the glass at the edge of the bulb-neck after blowing-oft.

18. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a bulbsupport, a plurahty of blow-pipe burners for distributing a flame upon the neckof a bulb held in said support along the line of cutting,

means for regulating the ressure within the bul and a neumatica y-o erated b'reakv ing ever for making away t e glass at the edge of the bulb-nee after blowing-off.

19. In a machine for making incandescent lamps, a blowing-off device having a,bulb

support, a plurahty of blow-pipe burners for distributing a flame upon the neck of a bulb held in said support along the line of cutting,

means for re lating the pressure within the bulb, a brea 'ng' lever, a piston connected thereto, a c linder in which said piston is adapted to air, a valve in the connection to said cylinder, and means for o crating said valve.

In witness w ereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty third day of May, 1906.

a ALFRED, SWAN.

Witnesses: a

J. H. ELKINS,- T. J. GRAVES.

e reciprocated by compressed 

